According to the press service of the NNSTU named after R.E. Alekseev, Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University may become a participant in a new initiative within the framework of the IAEA International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO). The new initiative aims to provide the next generation of “nuclear” experts with the competencies necessary to develop long-term strategies for the sustainable development of nuclear energy. The new project will be implemented within the framework of the IAEA on the initiative of international nuclear education networks, including the regional network STAR-NET, created with the aim of developing, managing and preserving nuclear knowledge, providing qualified human resources in the nuclear field, as well as the safe and stable use of nuclear technologies. The presentation of the new project took place in September 2024 as part of the round table of the STAR-NET at the XIII Forum of Universities of the engineering and Technological profile of the Union State.

“The IAEA has developed the Model Curriculum on Strategic Planning for Sustainable Nuclear Energy. Among the developers of the curriculum are experts from specialized organizations and leading world universities, including the Belarusian State University and the Russian University of the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI. The needs for competent specialists and the effective transfer of knowledge accumulated in INPRO to young specialists and future leaders in the field of nuclear energy can be met by implementing appropriate educational programmes at the university level,” said Elena Zhivitskaya, representative of the IAEA.

The new project is expected to include the world’s leading universities, including Russia and the Republic of Belarus.

“The INPRO/IAEA Model Curriculum is designed to become a working tool for educators teaching strategic planning in the field of nuclear energy development and specialists responsible for the development and implementation of educational programmes on strategic planning in the field of sustainable nuclear energy. The educational courses based on the INPRO methodology and assessment tools in various fields will contribute to the development of a holistic approach among students to the application of innovative nuclear technologies and their relationship with the energy system in general and the nuclear energy system in particular,” said Andrey Kosilov, Managing Director of the STAR-NET.
Currently, the STARNET network unites 14 universities from 8 countries, including the R.E. Alekseev NNSTU. The STAR-NET network effectively cooperates with the International Atomic Energy Agency, complementing existing international initiatives, focusing on the education and training of nuclear industry specialists and working with schoolchildren.

“A powerful international team of specialists in the field of nuclear education is already being formed, new approaches are being formed in the management of nuclear knowledge and human resources to ensure a qualified workforce in the future. R.E. Alekseev NNSTU, as one of the leading universities in Russia in the field of personnel training for the nuclear industry, cannot ignore global trends and the joint development of countries in the Peaceful Atom project. On the basis of our university, a new type of education has been introduced – an advanced engineering school, where we develop atomic and hydrogen energy and train engineers of a new formation. In addition, the university is a carrier of locking technologies in the chain of technical solutions of the nuclear industry. Following the results of the Forum, we made many key decisions, which will allow us to work more closely and actively with partners, including both Belarusian universities and representatives of large corporations,” said Sergey Dmitriev, Rector of the R.E. Alekseev NNSTU.

The start of the new INPRO project is scheduled for 2025.

Recall that the XIII Forum of universities of the engineering and technological profile of the Union State was held for the first time in Russia. The Nizhny Novgorod Region was chosen as the venue, and the R.E. Alekseev NNSTU acted as the base site. The forum brought together over 600 representatives of universities in Russia and the Republic of Belarus, as well as representatives of science and the technical industry. The event was held within the framework of the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on the Creation of the Union State.

The Advanced Engineering Schools project was launched in 2022. Schools are open in 30 universities in 15 regions of Russia. The project involves more than 40 industrial partners who specialize in biotechnologies in agriculture, mechanical engineering, chemical industry, aviation and rocket and space technology, nuclear energy, medical instrumentation, and information technology.